Alcohol, Tobacco
The Alcohol, Tobacco & Narcotics Act of 2011 was passed during the 9th Federal Assembly of States in the Union of Everett. The law reorganizes federal regulations of alcohol and narcotics use since the last time laws were passed which raised age requirements to consume alcohol and tobacco. Heavily debated during the 9th Assembly, three major changes took place in the law. Concerning alcohol, it was decided that the alcohol legal age would drop to 21 years of age, from 25 years old that was established in 2004. Consumption of wine, under parental or legal guardian watch and permission, was lowered to 16 years of age. Use of tobacco gained several new restrictions and regulations. Marijuana use was also re-regulated and various uses of it were legalized. Summarized Texts Alcohol The ATN Act of 2011 reduces current federal regulations of alcohol consumption significantly since the Anti-Narcotics Act of 2004 which enhanced strong regulations and restrictions on "recreational beverages". This law reduces the age requirement to consume beverages containing alcohol from the age of 25 years to the age of 21 years. The exception to this is the consumption of wine, which under heavy pressure from Quebecois legislators and Canadian states of Everett, the age requirement was reduced to 16 years of age under the supervision of legal parent or guardian or legal adult family member who is 21 years of age or older. The federal law also deregulates federal authority over moonshine production or other homemade alcohols and leaves legality and law enforcement authority in the hands of states. The ATN Act re-states federal laws on operation of a motor vehicles while under the influence or intoxication of alcohol. A federal standard was established under this Act requiring a minimum legal drinking limit of .08%. States may have the choice to enhance the legal limit to lower alcohol intoxication levels, which would make DUI and DWI violations far more strict. The law requires that persons convicted of DUI or DWI charges be required a minimum standard of alcohol abuse rehabilitation as a punishment among other possible state sentences for such violations. The federal government Department of Health and Department of Justice both recommend rehabilitation for alcohol abuse than imprisonment punishments in prisons. The federal government also has guidelines that those charged with DUI or DWI have their driving licenses revoked until they have succeeded in passing federal rehabilitation requirements. Federal rehab requirements are strict when it comes to alcohol and addictive narcotics substances, requiring licensed psychologists to provide weekly appointments with patients to discuss their patients' drinking problems, addictions and provide a variety of ways to help them avoid future addiction, relapse, methods to avoid peer pressure to get back into drinking and alcohol abuse and provide a variety of aid and programs to get those from rehab into a new stable life. Possession statute is generally the same federally. It is not legal in all states to possess an open container of an alcoholic beverage inside a motor vehicle. It is also illegal to be actively drinking an alcoholic beverage while operating a motor vehicle. Motor vehicle definitions do not include man-powered vehicles such as bicycles. It is illegal to provide anyone between 16 and 20 an alcoholic beverage other than wine. It is illegal to provide anyone under 16 any form of alcoholic beverage. Federal law allows religious ceremonies to include minors as young as 14 years of age a single sip of wine for religious practices. The law also states that those under 21 years of age caught in possession of non-wine alcohol or under 16, any form of alcohol, can have at maximum, their beverages seized and disposed of. Tobacco The ATN Act enhanced and reaffirmed anti-tobacco law in the Union of Everett without outright banning the use. New requirements against tobacco industry included more financially devastating restrictions to the industries such as total outlawing of any and all forms of advertisement for tobacco products. For several years, many anti-tobacco groups stated that tobacco companies deliberately advertised their products in manner attractive to children, using tactics such as placing cigarette ads into stores at eye level for young children, rather than higher for adults to see more easily. As a result of several petitions, all forms of cigarette, chewing tobacco and other forms of health damaging tobacco product advertising were outlawed completely from any locations in which those under the age of 18 were allowed access to. As a result, convenience stores, shops, grocery stores, pharmacies and a majority of general public shopping and retail centers were not allowed to display advertisements on the exterior nor interiors of their stores. The law's statement that locations of business designated for customers of all ages cannot display ads, generally legalized the display of advertising of tobacco product sales on the interior of adults-only businesses such as liquor shops, smoke shops, adult novelty stores, sex-related businesses such as strip/erotic dance clubs, adults only bars, night clubs, casinos, legal brothels in states that allow them, rave clubs and other adult-only locations. ATN 2011 continues a nationwide prohibition of smoking of tobacco products that induce second-hand inhalation of products from all public locations, regardless of age requirements. Exceptions are available for indoor smoking in adults-only locations if property owners ensure the proper FDA-approved installation of ceiling-based smoke suction-ventilation systems to draw tobacco smoke upwards into vents to ensure breathing and air quality is smoke-free for non-smokers. ATN also enforces a required cigarette butt littering law which requires states to enforce a minimum $50 fine for littering public locations with used cigarette butts, rather than disposing of them in designated garbage receptacles. The Act further reaffirms the previous Genocide Tax which is levied by the federal government of tobacco industries who utilize hazardous chemicals in their products known to induce a variety of deadly illnesses, diseases and cancer. The government requires a tax of nearly 30% on tobacco industry annual income, in addition to previously established corporate taxes and other taxes. The Genocide Tax was named after an official report from the Department of Health which stated that by the year 2030, nearly one billion people will have died from illnesses associated from the use of tobacco products or from the inhalation of second hand smoke from tobacco products. The Genocide Tax has forced nearly all cigarette companies to cease the use of nearly 4,000 chemicals used into producing cigarettes including 51 notable major cancer causing chemicals. The federal government also outlawed the use of said chemicals in tobacco products. Both the tax and laws have had two effects on tobacco industry and usage; Heavy financial damage to tobacco institutions who utilize deadly hazards in products which as a result, raise the prices of tobacco products in stores and secondly, cigarettes have been noted by health officials as 60% safer to use since the outlawing and resulting cease of the use of hazardous chemicals in tobacco products. While both tobacco companies and many users of tobacco products complain about high taxes and prices of the products, the government stated that the heavy tax on tobacco industry generates nearly $19.3 billion in tax revenue that is directed towards healthcare systems. Possession of tobacco products by underage persons is classified as both a Level 7 criminal offense and a non-criminal offense. The punishment for a minor (one under the age of 21 in possession of a tobacco product) is simply the seizure and destruction of the seized product by law enforcement officers. The federal government allows states to decide on whether further charges or punishments may be necessary such as possibly requiring mandatory anti-smoking classes and other seminars or attendance to classes which teach the dangers of smoking or using tobacco products. The federal government maintains a national anti-smoking commission with the Department of Education which promotes a heavy and graphic anti-smoking campaign in schools, using scare and shock & awe methods to keep kids from smoking or using other products. ATN 2011 also makes it illegal for an adult (one age 21 or older, who is legally allowed to purchase and use tobacco), to provide a person under the age of 21 a tobacco product to use. Punishments may be as high as a $150 fine per offense. The Department of Health also included in the law the illegalization of exposing minors (those under the age of 18) to second-hand tobacco smoke, which is known for causing various illnesses and cancer. Examples in the law include making it illegal to smoke a cigarette in a motor vehicle while minors are also inside the vehicle and smoking in non-well vented rooms in a home while minors are also in the same room, therefore exposed to heavy levels of smoke. The Department of Health views both of these offenses as serious dangers to children's welfare. Narcotics ATN 2011 for the most part reaffirms current law regarding narcotics (classified as recreational drugs). The most significant alteration to law regarded use of cannabis. As the law was debated regarding cannabis, a majority of 9th Assembly representatives voted against legalization of marijuana for use as a recreational product. But with heavy influence of President Spencer and several pro-cannabis groups petitions, cannabis and hemp use in industry and commercial products was legalized nationwide. ATN allows for hemp and cannabis to be used in industry such as food industry (using hemp seeds in vitamin products and hemp milk as an alternative to both dairy milk and soy milk products), clothing manufacturing (using hemp fibers to produce cloth, notable stronger than cotton), high strength products such as rope and threads for industrial use and various textiles for paper industry, cloth and even bio-fuel. ATN 2011 also legalized nationwide the use of cannabis in medical treatment, medicine development and other medical uses. The legalization of cannabis in these industries, most especially in the medical industry, resulted in the growth of a multi-billion dollar industry in the nearly half a year period since the law was signed by the President. The federal government was authorized in the ATN 2011 to spend funding for research and development of cannabis medical uses and technologies which would have a massive impact on current healthcare costs and illness in the Union of Everett. Analysts stated that use of cannabis for medical treatments could decease medical costs nationwide in healthcare and reduce growing dependence of the population on psychiatric drug treatments that the pharmaceutical industry thrives on. ATN on the other hand maintained current regulations on prohibition of all other narcotics, substances designated as dangerous recreational drugs. These illegal substances include crack, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, amphetamine, MDMA including ecstasy, Betel nut/leaf, LSD and Acid, PCP, recreational Marijuana (non-prescription medical) and any unlawful possession of drugs capable of use as a date-rape narcotic. The law establishes sentencing and punishments for possession of illegal narcotics with Level 6 criminal charges resulting in immediate seizure and destruction of seized illegal narcotics by law enforcement and may include fines up to $500 for possession of a narcotic substance that is designated as more than enough of the substance as necessary for personal use. Those charged with unlawful sale, trafficking or solicitation of illegal narcotic substances may be arrested and charged with higher criminal charges as Level 5 crimes with sentences as high as several thousand dollar fines, 30 days or more community service, drug rehabilitation requirements, revocation of driving licenses or other motor vehicle licensing, revocation and seizure of firearms licenses and permits among other penalties. Persons arrested for a criminal action and found to be under the influence of an illegal narcotic may face a penalty if charged of narcotics rehabilitation incarceration until deemed medically fit and clean according to federal requirements. Much of Everetti anti-drug law focuses on rehabilitation and healthcare rather than punishment and jail time for use or possession of narcotics. Persons charged with narcotic intoxication who require rehabilitation are no longer legally allowed to possess a firearm unless they join the military or law enforcement agency under which they go psychiatric evaluations. Like drunk driving laws, persons arrested for DUI or DWI for narcotics, which resulted in a fatal accident, may lose their drivers licenses permanently. Category:Union of Everett Category:Laws